The legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni isn’t over yet. Although the two sides reached a settlement earlier this year, Lively is now asking the court to require Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios to cover more than $8 million in legal fees and related expenses she says were incurred during the lengthy courtroom fight.
Blake Lively Details More Than $8 Million in Legal Costs
Lively’s attorneys filed a lawsuit asking for around $8.03 million in attorney fees and litigation expenses. The request comes on the heels of a recent order by a judge that she has the right to get back some of the costs associated with Baldoni’s countersuit.
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The legal battle started when Lively accused her ‘It Ends With Us’ co-star and director of misconduct in late 2024. Later, Baldoni filed a counter-suit against Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, for $400 million in damages, claiming defamation and other causes of action.
However, that case was eventually thrown out, and Lively asked to be reimbursed for the expenses she incurred in defending herself in the case. In the new filing, her lawyers contend that the legal action was “costly and unnecessarily aggressive” and that Baldoni’s side is “wasting valuable resources” in the case.
Lively’s Team Says The Case Could Set an Important Precedent
In addition to the monetary demand, Lively’s lawyers presented the court’s previous decision as a victory of a larger magnitude, one that could have implications beyond this particular case. They argue in their filing that the countersuit was meant to harm Lively’s reputation and was not on the merits of the law.
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“This gross abuse of the legal system was not meant to win in court,” the memorandum reads. “Its aim was to retaliate against Lively by falsely branding her a liar, intimidating witnesses and the media, and discouraging others from speaking out.”
They also said that imposing costs on defendants to defend such claims will deter individuals from coming forward in future litigations. The legal team said the ruling was “a positive step toward accountability” for parties who feel they have gone too far with their litigation tactics.
In public statements, they have highlighted the long-term implications of the ruling, suggesting that it may discourage future attempts to use similar legal tactics. “The value of this ruling is in the precedent it creates, the accountability it imposes, and the protection it provides to those who may one day find themselves facing similar retaliation for speaking the truth.”
The issue is still unresolved at this time. Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios have until mid-July to either accept the fee request or challenge the amount sought by Lively. The case may have settled. However, this new development demonstrates that the economic fallout from the war continues to be played out.
